Unvoiced Arguments
by trucee99
Summary: A man mysteriously wants to appeal to the misfits at Obernewtyn. Who is this man? And who is he to Elspeth?


"You'll know as soon as you see him." It was the man's only reply as he went out of the room to get his Master. The full Guildmerge was left waiting in the room. "Who do you suppose this man is?" Alad asked of no one in particular. If there was a response it was interrupted by voices outside the door.

One voice was distinctly familiar and it reminded me of past days. Arms that blocked me from seeing my parent's death, a promise/vow to protect, arguing, sorrow and grief. It can't be, I thought, but I knew I was right. I know who the person was.

The door opened to a young man around our age. I was barely aware that I had stood up, the guildleaders and Rushton looking at me in surprise. As the man came in, his face was more clearly seen. He had black hair paired with moss green eyes that matched mine. Exactly like mine. He had pale skin not a gypsy's dark brown. A person I knew from and since childhood because it was him. My brother, Jes. He stopped his eyes on me and his face unreadable.

I struggled to conceal my emotions but I couldn't fool empaths. "Elspeth," Dameon said in his soft voice. "Do you know him?" Rushton said with a hint of impatience though he was mostly puzzled. I ignored them.

"Rosamunde told me you were dead." I said with an undertone layered with shock. Only did look around the room was when I noticed that she had stood up as well. Her face was very pale and one hand covered her mouth. Valda pulled her back and she sat down reluctantly. His eyes flickered to her and it registered pain before his attention came back on me. He took a step towards me and one hand rose, palm up. "I was supposed to, but somehow I healed." He said it quietly but everyone heard him with the silence hanging over the room. I didn't question him but continued to stand still, shocked. Slowly he said, "I coerced Rosamunde so that she saw me dead." Another thicker, heavier silence followed and settled uncomfortably. Then the slap of a hand on wood and the scrap of a chair against the ground. I almost winced as now it's my turn to look on with surprised eyes at Rosamunde. I never seen her more angry. "I can't believe you did that; did you know what you put me through all those years." She stopped as a sob came into her voice. "It's bad enough that Elspeth made me tell Madam Vega that she was a Misfit but now know that you coerced me too!" She shook violently as she yelled, "It's too much!" So she hated me because I had entered her mind to control her will and mind. Infinite grief was shown in Jes' eyes and realisation replaced it, coming into his features something had just hit him. "What?" He inquired, looking now at me with a frown. "When have you ever coerced her?" "You ask her!" Rosamunde shouted again and stormed out of the room in tears with Valda close on her heels. I sat down heavily into a chair and rubbed my hands over my face. I peeked out and saw others look at me and Jes; back and forth, like they're watching a tennis game. "Elspeth," he started. I cut him off. "I only went in her mind to connect the ideas together but not actually coerce her to tattle on Madam Vega how I was tainted by the water and being a dreamer." "You did it so I wouldn't risk being affected and labelled as a misfit?" "Yes." Uncomfortable at the subject; I casted about in my mind something else to talk about. "So were you ever made a Herder Priest?" He stiffened with annoyance and flushed in anger and shame. I continued talking, furiously, "You would have betrayed our parents' memories if you did." There were gasps as everyone caught on. "He's your brother?!" Roland barked. Quickly, I introduced him to the others. "Say hello to my brother. Jes Gordie." I flourished my hand in his direction. "Why are we babbling about that?" Jes referred to the topic of conversation beforehand. I turned back on him and my anger renewed from my past, younger self. "You called me a misfit back then." "You are and I and everyone else here. And if I remember properly you called me a traitor and dogmatic fool." Everyone hitched in and unconsciously held their breath as outside the sun was making its way down the sky and birds huddling in their nest chirp. Until I said, "And you still are."


End file.
